Đakovački vezovi 2026: jubilee 60th edition from 19 June to 5 July in Đakovo
From 19 June to 5 July 2026, Đakovo will be the centre of the jubilee 60th Đakovački vezovi, an event of authentic folk folklore with an international character. According to the official programme of the organisers, this year's edition lasts more than two weeks and brings together folklore, cultural, musical, gastronomic, exhibition, children's and equestrian content at several city and suburban locations. The organiser of the event is the City of Đakovo, the co-organiser is the Đakovo City Tourist Board, and the partner country for 2026 is the Republic of Austria. The programme is held under the patronage of the Croatian Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Croatia, which confirms the institutional importance of the event that has grown from a local traditional review into one of the most recognisable events of continental Croatia.
According to data from the official website of Đakovački vezovi, the event has been held in Đakovo since 1967 and today presents itself as one of the largest events of authentic folk folklore in Croatia and Europe. Its backbone is the preservation of folk costumes, songs, dances, customs, traditional hair styling, horse breeding, gastronomy and the heritage of Đakovština, Slavonia, Baranja, western Syrmia, other Croatian regions and foreign countries. The Đakovo City Tourist Board states that the main part of the event is traditionally held on the first weekend in July, when the city hosts the ceremonial opening, the procession, international and domestic folklore reviews and the final musical and stage programme. Due to the tourist character of the event, visitors planning a multi-day stay can check accommodation in Đakovo during Đakovački vezovi in good time, especially for the final weekend from 3 to 5 July.
The programme begins with wine cellars, workshops and Ivanjski kresovi
The official programme of the 60th Đakovački vezovi opens on Friday, 19 June, with the Open Wine Cellar Days of the Đakovo Wine Region in Mandićevac. According to the published schedule, the first day brings a guided wine walk along the Mandićevac wine-tourism road, the exhibition "Through Đakovština with Embroideries" in the Museum of Đakovština, and an evening musical programme at the Đakovačka vina winery. The following day the programme continues in Trnava, where a folklore workshop for children, a wine walk along the Zlatarevac wine-tourism road, the 39th Bonavita and a musical performance have been announced. In its announcement, the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board emphasises that the opening part of the event connects the winegrowing tradition of Đakovština with cultural and tourist content, thereby spreading Vezovi beyond the city centre itself.
In the first days of the event, content is also planned that emphasises work with children and the transmission of tradition to younger generations. According to the official schedule, the 26th Ivanjski kresovi are held in Strossmayer Park on 21 June, while on 22 June the "Vezovi Games" and the programme "Children in the World of the Solo Tambura" follow in the Reichsmann House. Ivanjski kresovi continue in Ivanovci Đakovački on 23 June, while on the same day the children's play "Zbrda, zdola i okolo" by a theatre troupe from Slavonski Brod has been announced at the Reichsmann House. In the following days the programme includes Art Vezovi, a concert by the tambura orchestra of the Klasan Music Workshop, the annual concert of children's groups of the "Tena" Cultural and Artistic Society and a storytelling session of traditional fairy tales. Such a schedule shows that the jubilee edition does not rely only on the final weekend, but gradually builds the atmosphere through workshops, exhibitions and smaller programme units.
Mali vezovi and children's programmes lead into the final festival week
A special place in the programme is held by Mali vezovi, which, according to the organisers' announcement, are part of the week dedicated to the youngest participants. On Friday, 26 June, the storytelling session "Living Đakovština", an exhibition of children's artworks and a presentation of literary works submitted to the Mali vezovi competitions are planned, and the evening ends with a musical programme on the stage behind the Church of All Saints. On Saturday, 27 June, the programme expands with the "Well-Dressed Heritage" workshop, a traditional workshop for adults, an exhibition of photographs by the "Hrvatski ovčar" Parent Club and the "Heritage for Children" festival. On the same day, the folklore concert "Tena and Guests" has been announced in Strossmayer Park, connecting the children's and family part of the programme with performances by cultural and artistic societies.
The peak of Mali vezovi is planned for Sunday, 28 June, when a procession from the Church of All Saints to Josip Juraj Strossmayer Square, performances by groups and educational workshops for children in Strossmayer Park have been announced. The organisers have also announced a musical programme on the stage behind the Church of All Saints for that day. According to the announcement from the presentation of the programme in the Small Council Hall of the City of Đakovo, Mali vezovi should culminate precisely with the Sunday procession, after which the "big" Vezovi week begins. This means that the children's programme is not treated as an accompanying addition, but as an important part of the overall event, because children in costumes, workshops and performances symbolise the continuation of folklore practice.
The jubilee brings a film about 60 years of Vezovi, LADO and the programme "Kići u čast"
From Monday, 29 June, the programme enters a more intense finale. According to the official programme, that day features Gastrofest with hunters' goulash and game dishes, the solo photography exhibition by Silvija Butković "The Female Face of Folklore", the premiere of a documentary film about 60 years of Đakovački vezovi at the Croatian House, and the opening of the exhibition "Oj, Đakovo, Heart of Slavonia". That same evening, the LADO National Folk Dance and Song Ensemble of Croatia performs a dance concert in Strossmayer Park. During the presentation of the programme, the organisers emphasised that the documentary film is one of the contents marking six decades of the event and recalling its development from the first edition to today's international format.
Tuesday, 30 June, brings Gastrofest with Đakovo čobanac, a lecture by Dr Marija Raguž on "The Maiden Order" and church singing in the Archdiocese of Đakovo until the mid-20th century, as well as the programme "Kići u čast", which includes a book presentation and a musical segment in Strossmayer Park. On Wednesday, 1 July, the schedule includes a fish stew competition, the folklore programme "Đakovština in Song and Dance" and the folk costume revue of Đakovština "ĐAKOVAČKI zlatoVEZOVI". Such content gives the event a broader cultural framework: alongside stage performances and concert programmes, the emphasis is on documenting tradition, exhibitions, costumes and topics based on local history and identity.
Split-Dalmatia County and Austria as programme partners
Thursday, 2 July, according to the official schedule, brings Gastrofest with traditional Slavonian products and the presentation of Split-Dalmatia County. The programme announces the gastronomy of that county, performances by the "Milan Begović" Cultural and Artistic Association from Vrlika and the women of Vrlika, as well as the participation of the Association for the Revitalisation of the Village of Opor from Botići near Kaštela. In the Reichsmann House, an exhibition by Lidija Biočić "Mirror of the People" from the Museum of the Cetina Region is planned on the same day, while the musical programme also takes place in the "Šokački dvor", the courtyard space of the Reichsmann House, which during Vezovi turns into one of the festival stages. Such inclusion of guest regions confirms that Đakovački vezovi do not remain only within local heritage, but create a space for encounters between different traditional expressions.
A special international dimension of the 60th edition is linked to the Republic of Austria, which is officially listed as the partner country. According to the programme, Austrian content will be presented on Saturday, 4 July, when gastronomy, workshops of traditional crafts and the presentation of products of the partner country have been announced in Pope John Paul II Street. On the same day, a folklore programme by Austrian groups is planned in Strossmayer Park, among which are listed Schuhplattler "D’Hochtausinger z’Weißenbach" from Styria, Volkskultur Niederösterreich GmbH from Lower Austria, "Volkstanzgruppe Groß Gerungs" and "D’Wildbradler". In this way, the jubilee Vezovi continue the practice of including foreign partners, which the Đakovo City Tourist Board in its information links to the development of the event's international character.
Central weekend: opening in front of the cathedral, procession and folklore reviews
The central part of the 60th Đakovački vezovi takes place from 3 to 5 July. On Friday, 3 July, the programme begins with Popular Church Singing at the Amadea Centre, and then continues with the dance warm-up "Šok-šok-Šokadija" on the promenade and Josip Juraj Strossmayer Square. The ceremonial opening is announced for 9 p.m. on Josip Juraj Strossmayer Square, in front of the Đakovo cathedral, with the musical and stage programme "Let Them Be Called: Đakovački vezovi!". According to the official schedule, the screenwriter of the ceremonial programme is Mirko Ćurić, and the director is Darko Milas. The Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, in its information about the Cathedral of St Peter, identifies it as the cathedral church in Đakovo, and the space in front of that building has for years been one of the most striking stages of Vezovi.
Saturday, 4 July, brings the presentation of the partner country, the presentation of the Đakovački vezovi Revue, the equestrian programme "Đakovo Stud Farm Prize" at the hippodrome of the Đakovo State Stud Farm, performances by guest groups in Strossmayer Park and the evening folklore programme of Austria. The Đakovo and Lipik State Stud Farm states on its official pages that the Đakovo stud farm represents a living link between history, tradition and the breeding of Lipizzan horses, and equestrian programmes therefore have a special place in the festival identity of the city. Due to the expected attendance of the central weekend, it is useful to consider in advance accommodation near programme venues in Đakovo, especially if planning to attend the ceremonial opening, Saturday performances and Sunday procession.
Sunday, 5 July, according to the official programme, begins with the ceremonial procession of the 60th Đakovački vezovi at 8:30 a.m., from Mali Park to Strossmayer Park. Folklore groups, wedding carriages and riders have been announced in the procession, and at 10 a.m. a holy mass is planned in the Cathedral of St Peter. This is followed by the International Folklore Review, the Folklore Review of Croatia, the Croatia Cup at the hippodrome of the Đakovo State Stud Farm and the Folklore Review of Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia. The final programme "Slavonia, Noble Land" in Strossmayer Park includes the selection of the best-worn folk attire in the categories of girls, married women and young men, the awarding of prizes and the closing of the 60th Đakovački vezovi. According to the announcement of the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, the Sunday procession will be the highlight of the event, with a large number of groups from Croatia and the world.
Musical, gastronomic and exhibition programmes expand the reach of the event
In addition to folklore reviews, Đakovački vezovi 2026 also offer an extensive musical programme. According to the official announcement of the organisers, the stage behind the Church of All Saints will host performers during the event including Fluentes, Parni valjak, Mate Bulić, Grše, Bosutski bećari, Zabranjeno pušenje, Slavonske lole, Doris Dragović and Najbolji hrvatski tamburaši. In the courtyard of the Reichsmann House, or "Šokački dvor", additional musical performances are planned from 2 to 5 July. The musical part of the programme thus complements the folklore character of the event, but does not replace it: the official schedule clearly shows that processions, reviews, costume revues and traditional workshops remain the central content of the event.
The gastronomic programme has a similar role in presenting local and regional identity. Gastrofest brings game dishes, Đakovo čobanac, a fish stew competition and traditional Slavonian products, while the beginning of the event through wine walks in Mandićevac and Trnava connects the programme with the Đakovo Wine Region. The exhibition section includes themes related to Đakovština, photography, folk costume, children's works, traditional crafts and museum content. According to the Đakovo City Tourist Board, over the decades Vezovi have become an event that involves the whole city, and the Đakovački vezovi Revue has been published since 1970 and follows events connected with the festival. In that framework, the 2026 programme can be read as an effort to mark the jubilee both ceremonially and documentarily, while recalling the people, associations and institutions that shaped the event over six decades.
Đakovački vezovi as a cultural and tourist event
The significance of Đakovački vezovi goes beyond the schedule of events itself. The Đakovo City Tourist Board states that the event was declared Tourist Event of the Year in 2023, and the City of Đakovo then announced that it was an annual tourism award presented at the Days of Croatian Tourism. This information further explains why Vezovi are today viewed both as a cultural event and as a tourism product that strengthens the recognisability of Đakovo, Đakovština and Osijek-Baranja County. In its announcement of the 2026 edition, the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board emphasises that cultural, folklore, entertainment and gastronomic programmes take place throughout Đakovština, and that the central events include the ceremonial opening, performances by folklore groups, the procession and the final ceremony.
In terms of content, Vezovi remain focused on the authenticity of folk folklore, but organisationally they adapt to a large event that attracts numerous participants and visitors. According to the official website of the event, around seventy folklore groups from different parts of Croatia and the world participate in Đakovački vezovi, with about four thousand performers. Such a scale requires a detailed programme, several stages, cooperation between city institutions, cultural and artistic societies, tourist and public services, and a clear distribution of content over several days. The jubilee 60th edition is therefore at the same time a return to the initial motives of the event and a confirmation of its contemporary role: during Vezovi, Đakovo presents itself as a city of folklore, Lipizzan horses, the cathedral, gastronomy and encounters of traditional cultures.
Sources:
- Đakovački vezovi – official programme of the 60th Đakovački vezovi, event schedule, organisers, patrons and partner country (link)
- Đakovački vezovi – publication on the presentation of the programme in the Small Council Hall of the City of Đakovo, statements by the organisers and description of the central programme units (link)
- Đakovački vezovi – official information on the event, history, international character and number of participants (link)
- Đakovo City Tourist Board – description of the event, the role of Vezovi in the tourist and cultural identity of Đakovo and information on the Tourist Event of the Year 2023 award (link)
- Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board – announcement of Đakovački vezovi 2026 and overview of central events (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – announcement of the 60th Đakovački vezovi within the tourist board system (link)
- Đakovo State Stud Farm – official information on the stud farm, Lipizzan horses and the equestrian tradition connected with Đakovo (link)
- Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek – official information on the Cathedral of St Peter in Đakovo (link)